Regarding an electronic part such as a semiconductor chip as a workpiece, in order to convey the workpiece from a workpiece accommodated position to a workpiece installing position and install the workpiece at the workpiece installing position, a handling apparatus reciprocating between the workpiece accommodated position and the workpiece installing position is used. To the handling apparatus, a vacuum sucking device for vacuum-sucking the workpiece and chucks or hands driven for opening/closing by a pneumatic cylinder or electric motor are attached as a workpiece holding device. The workpiece is conveyed to a predetermined position by the handling apparatus in a state in which the workpiece is held by the workpiece holding device.
In the handling apparatus mentioned above, there is the case where a stop position of the handing apparatus is deviated to the workpiece installing position when the workpiece is positioned at the workpiece installing position. A displacement direction includes the case where the workpiece is deviated in a lateral direction with respect to a center line of the workpiece installing position or deviated in a rotational direction around a center axis. In order to make it possible to install the workpiece at the predetermined position even if the stop position of the handling apparatus is deviated, an aligning mechanism called a compliance mechanism is incorporated in the handling apparatus.
As the aligning mechanism mentioned above, there is the case where a function of making the workpiece holding device movable by an external force in two axial directions of X and Y axes with respect to an origin position serving as a reference and a function of making it shiftable in a rotational direction are often required, and there is further the case where it is necessary to automatically return the workpiece holding device to the origin position. In addition, the aligning mechanism includes the case of adjusting the position of the workpiece holding device each time the workpiece is installed, and the case of adjusting the position of the workpiece holding device and locking the workpiece holding device at the adjusted position to convey and position the predetermined number of workpieces. In any case, in order to operate a compact electronic part, it is necessary to downsize the handling apparatus and align the workpiece holding device by the compact apparatus.
An object of the present invention is to make a workpiece holding device movable in two axial directions of X and Y axes and in a rotational direction by an external force and make it automatically return to an origin position.
Another object of the present invention is to achieve a downsizing of a handling apparatus having an aligning function.